Between early research and full-scale market adoption lies a persistent “valley of death” — a gap that Europe has struggled to bridge. Structural fragmentation across Member States, diverse regulatory environments and a historic risk aversion among private investors make it difficult for promising innovations to move from lab prototypes to commercial scale. Even when EU grants successfully spark breakthrough research, the leap to large contracts or mass deployment often stalls. This is largely due to private capital being reluctant to invest without clear market signals, while public procurement rules can be slow to adapt.
Transition initiatives are designed to overcome these barriers. They link grant-funded research to public procurement, reduce risk through blended finance that combines public and private investments, and bring together start-ups, corporations, universities and public bodies to create entirely new markets. By connecting the pipeline from discovery to deployment and sharing financial risks, these partnerships provide promising technologies with the credibility and momentum needed to attract investment and scale quickly.
In doing so, transition initiatives turn good money into tangible outcomes — new industries, high-quality jobs and resilient supply chains — while providing the missing bridge that allows Europe to convert its research strengths into lasting digital sovereignty.